The Great War
by Andrew Hildreth
Summary: prequel to my earlier story, Two's Company, Three's sweet.  Done by request.  Thanks to everybody who gave me ideas, you know who you are!  Some AU and OoC content, but otherwise, I'll let you read and find out
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Evangelion characters, story plots, or quotes

This story starts out as a chronicle and summary of the Eva TV series, but if you notice, you start to see things that I creatively inserted in order to smoothly branch it off into my own Altered Universe. Hope you enjoy it.

The Great War

This is an historical record of Humanity's last, great effort to defeat the destructive alien forces that were dubbed "Angels".

It began at the end of the 20th century A.D., when a research team found a giant being that they christened "Adam" in Antarctica.

The researchers foolishly tried to contain and control the god-like being. Adam exploded, melting the polar ice and subsequently flooding the earth. The seas rose an astounding 180 feet in a matter of moments. All low-lying and coastal countries were drowned. Over half of the total population of the world was extinguished. This catastrophe was called the Second Impact.

The research team was wiped out, except for one survivor: a young girl named Misato Katsuragi, daughter of the research team's leader. For over a year she remained mute; horror-struck at what she had witnessed first-hand.

Adam, though weakened, was not dead. Nor was he alone. There was a second Angel: Lilith. Together, they were the key to Third Impact, the end of the world. Man began experimenting with the Angels' corpses and discovered many things: One, Angels possess a sort of force field that was christened an Absolute Terror Field or AT Field for short. Two, Angel's DNA is rudimentarily similar to Human DNA, with only a few differences.

Third, and most importantly, man created a god-like being of their own. Created in the image of Adam using his DNA, Humanity created a living, sentient, cybernetic organism that was code-named "Evangelion".

Years passed. Man foolishly believed the Angels to be gone for good. Then, in the year 2015 A.D., the Angels returned.

The Third Angel attacked, easily overwhelming the conventional forces of the United Nations. Not even the UN's ultimate weapon, the powerful N2 explosive charge, was sufficient to defeat the Angel.

The only hope was Evangelion. The Prototype model, Unit 00, had been damaged in an activation test, but the Test model, Unit 01, was useable. Eva Unit 01 was mobilized, piloted by Rei Ayanami, the First Child. During the first scrimmage with the Angel, the Eva was defeated, and the pilot was badly injured.

The government agency responsible for the Evangelion Project, called NERV, was forced to find an alternative.

Commander Gendao Ikari, head of NERV operations, summoned his only son, Shinji Ikari, as a reserve pilot. Shinji, the Third Child, deployed in Unit 01 and engaged the Angel. At first, the fight went poorly, and Unit 01 sustained massive amounts of damage. Then, the ground crew lost all feedback from Unit 01. They assumed it had deactivated.

To everyone's surprise, Unit 01 reactivated, but it still wasn't responding to any controls. Unit 01 had gone berserk. While berserk, it regenerated most of its damaged parts instantaneously. Then, it tore through the Angel's AT Field, and smashed its core. The Angel, desperate to take its foe down with it, wrapped itself around Unit 01 and self-destructed. Eva was undamaged in the blast. Pilot Ikari sustained mild psychological trauma during the assault.

The Fourth Angel resembled a large, flying insect. Its offensive capabilities consisted of two long, laser-like tentacles. Shinji once again deployed in Unit 01 to engage the enemy. He engaged the Angel in hand to hand combat and plunged his progressive knife into the Angel's core. The Angel's core cracked and the Angel died, just as Unit 01's internal battery ran out of power.

The Fifth Angel was a flying fortress. Its shape was like a giant polyhedron diamond. This Angel's AT Field was incredibly strong. Its primary weapon was a particle cannon that could blast through almost anything in its path, and its range was incredible. When Shinji deployed to engage it, it fired on him and struck Unit 01 squarely in the chest plates, melting all but a few layers of armor. Had the ground crew not recovered the Eva as swiftly as they did, Shinji would have died.

While they waited for Shinji to recover from the massive trauma he sustained, the crew at NERV planned how best to kill the Angel. Unfortunately, as they planned, the Angel centered itself overtop of NERV HQ and began to drill through the ground and armor plating that separated the Geofront from the surface.

NERV planned to execute a long-range attack on the Angel, since its AT Field only responded to close range threats. Their plan was to use an experimental particle accelerator cannon that they borrowed from the SSDF as a sniper rifle and have Unit 01 try to blast the Angel from several miles away.

Once Shinji was revived and briefed on the plan, and repairs to Unit 01's armor had been made, they deployed for the mission area. Unit 00 was to provide cover in case Shinji missed his first shot. Unit 00 was given a special shield made from the heat resistant belly of a space shuttle. It wouldn't provide cover for long, but it would hopefully provide sufficient time for Shinji to reload.

As Shinji made his first shot, so did the Angel. Their energies warped each other, and both shots missed their marks. The Angel fired another shot before Shinji was ready, but Rei and the shuttle shield were there. The shield was failing, and Unit 00's armor was starting to melt. Shinji made his second shot, and hit the mark, blasting a hole clear through the Angel.

Shinji then removed the entry plug from Unit 00 and pried open the hatch, burning his hands in the process. After seeing that Rei was all right, Shinji wept from release of tension.

Shinji and Misato were called away to pick up and escort the new Eva Unit 02 and its pilot, Asuka Langley Soryu, the Second Child. They were under orders to escort the Evan and pilot back to NERV HQ.

While still at sea, the Sixth Angel attacked. Shinji and Asuka worked together in Unit 02 to try and defeat the aquatic Angel. They finally defeated the Angel by having two UN battleships self destruct inside the Angel's mouth.

Asuka was a harsh girl, having grown up after watching her father abandon them, then watching her mother go insane, eventually hanging herself. Asuka hardened herself and pushed herself fanatically to be the best at everything. By the age of 14, she had already earned her college degree.

From the beginning of their association, Asuka marked Shinji as a sort of rival to her being the best. They would have to put aside their personal differences to defeat the next Angel.

The Seventh Angel had the ability to split itself into two synchronous twins. The only way Shinji and Asuka could defeat it was to synchronize perfectly with each other and execute a simultaneous attack on both halves. Using this strategy, the two pilots were able to defeat the Angel, though they got very tired of being around each other.

The Eight Angel presented the people at NERV with a unique opportunity to capture an Angel in its infancy. Unit 02 was outfitted with heat-resistant gear and dropped into a volcano to retrieve the Angel. While Unit 02 attempted to capture the Angel, it hatched. Asuka defeated the Angel, but a death-throw attack severed the cables that connected Unit 02 to the surface. Asuka and her Eva would have sunk into the lava and been crushed by the pressure had Shinji not been standing by in Unit 01. He bravely thrust Unit 01's unprotected hand down into the lava and grabbed Unit 02. Asuka was shocked that Shinji cared enough to save her.

The Ninth Angel struck during a massive power outage that crippled NERV HQ. This Angel was relatively weak compared to most of its predecessors. Its only attack was an acid that it oozed out of its body. Its AT Field was weak enough that Shinji was able to defeat it with a single volley from his rifle while Asuka and Rei covered him.

The Tenth Angel was the first of the orbital Angels. It used its AT Field as a weapon, dropping portions of it as bombs. Eventually, the Angel dropped itself out of orbit, right onto Tokyo-3. The three Evas used their own AT Fields to catch the Angel and neutralize its AT Field. Then, using a progressive knife, Unit 02 killed the Angel.

The Eleventh Angel was truly unique. It was a computer virus that the Evas were powerless to combat. The Angel began to infect the Magi supercomputers. Only through the quick thinking, and quicker work of Dr. Ritsuko Akagi were the Magi salvaged and the Angel destroyed.

The Twelfth Angel was perhaps the _most_ unique of the first Angels. It had two bodies: a spherical form that floated above the ground that served as a distraction, and the shadow on the ground, which was actually the Angel's body. This Angel possessed an inverted AT Field that engulfed its targets and transported them to an alternate dimension of sorts.

Eva Unit 01 was consumed in this manner. The NERV crew frantically tried to find a way to rescue Shinji. While they tried to find a way to save him, Unit 01 berserked again and tore itself free of its prison, destroying the Angel in the process.

The Thirteenth Angel was uniquely terrifying in its own way. This Angel was parasitic, able to take over mechanical constructs. The construct it chose was none other than the newest Evangelion: Unit 03. This new Eva had a new ability: the arms were able to stretch and extend. It was piloted by the Fourth Child, Toji Suzuhara, one of Shinji's school classmates. During the maiden activation, the Angel took over, trapping the pilot inside the entry plug.

Units 00 and 02 were dispatched to intercept the Angel. They were soundly defeated, leaving Unit 01 to face it alone. Once Shinji found out that the pilot was still trapped inside, he refused all orders to destroy Unit 03.

Frustrated, Commander Ikari ordered that control of Unit 01 be switched over to the experimental new "dummy plug" system. The dummy plugs, as the name implies, are a sort of auto-pilot system that is not held back by the complications of emotions. Unit 01 fights back against the Angel, literally beating it to a bloody pulp and tearing to pieces. The pilot, Suzuhara, survived; though he was badly injured when Unit 01 crushed his entry plug.

The Fourteenth Angel was one of the toughest that the Evas would face. Once again, Units 00 and 02 were mobilized first. And once again, they were both defeated. Unit 02 had both of its arms and its head cut off by the Angel's razor sharp tentacle arms. Asuka's pride was severely damaged by this defeat.

Shinji was very angry, and launched in Unit 01. He was about to defeat the Angel, when Unit 01's internal power ran out. Then, something happened that no one could have predicted. Shinji's synchronization ratio jumped to over 400, an impossible situation that actually happened. The Eva reactivated, tearing the Angel apart and actually consuming parts of it. One of the parts the Eva consumed was the Angel's Super Solenoid Engine. The S2 Engine is the part of the Angel that gives them an unlimited source of power. Now, Unit 01 had an S2 engine inside of it, and no longer required an outside power source.

The Fifteenth Angel was another orbital Angel. This Angel's attack was a beam that invaded and destroyed the victim's mind. Asuka is the unfortunate pilot caught in the beam. As she put it: "It's raping my mind!" That is the best way to describe the phenomenon. Asuka was left in a near vegetative state.

Rei was sent in Unit 00 to retrieve the Lance of Longinus from Terminal Dogma. Unit 00 hurled the Lance at the Angel, obliterating it. However, the Lance was lost in lunar orbit.

The Sixteenth Angel looked like an enormous halo of light. Its AT Field was of incredible strength. With Asuka in a hospital bed, Rei and Shinji were left without back-up. Rei engaged the Angel first. The Angel began to invade and merge with Unit 00. As Shinji deployed, the Angel's other end tried to do the same thing to him. To save Shinji, and destroy the Angel, Rei decides to sacrifice herself and self-destruct Unit 00. Shinji bravely reached out and tore Rei's entry plug out of Unit 00, scant seconds before its core implodes and destroys the Angel and the Eva. Shinji spread his AT Field to full power and shielded them both from the blast. Rei never thanked Shinji for rescuing her, but it was only because she didn't really know how to express it.

The Seventeenth Angel, the last of the First Wave, took on a Human form. His name was Kaworu Nagisa, the Fifth Child. He became the pilot for Unit 02. There was something unique about him: he could choose what his synch-ratio would be.

His relationship with the other two active pilots was strange, to say the least. Rei sensed something about him instantly, stating rather bluntly that she didn't trust him. However, with Shinji, he formed a bond instantly. Shinji began to trust him.

Kaworu eventually showed his true colors, taking control of Unit 02 and descending into Central Dogma. Shinji and Unit 01 were immediately dispatched in an attempt to halt the Angel's progress. Shinji felt betrayed. His newest friend turned out to be the enemy. He caught up with Kaworu at the entrance to Terminal Dogma.

Shinji engaged Unit 02 and defeated it, then seized Kaworu in Unit 01's giant fist. Shinji's cockpit recorder captured the following segment of conversation:

K: "It is my destiny to live forever, though my survival will bring final destruction to the Human race. However, it is possible for me to be killed, and whether I live or die makes no great difference. In truth, death may be the only absolute freedom there is."

S: "What are you? Kaworu, I don't understand what you are talking about, Kaworu."

K: "This is my wish: Please, destroy me; me, and all those who will come after me. Otherwise, _you_ will be destroyed. Only one life form can be chosen to evade the destruction and seize the future. And you are not the existence which should die. You need the future; it is what you live for. Thank you, Shinji. My life was meaningful…because of you."

Kaworu had spent enough time as a Human, around Humans, that he understood what it meant to _be_ a Human better than any Angel ever had. Though it destroyed him to do it, Shinji ordered Unit 01 to crush Kaworu. Thus, the Seventeenth Angel died.

NERV's difficulties were far from over. SEELE was enraged that NERV had foiled their plot to initiate Third Impact. They sent in military forces to take over the facility. NERV soldiers fought back bravely, but the primary concern of the command center was the safety of the pilots and their Evas. Asuka was placed in Unit 02's entry plug and positioned at the bottom of the lake in the Geofront. Shinji and Rei were launched in Unit 01.

No one is exactly sure what took place, but Asuka managed to come out of her state of mental collapse and re-synch with her Eva. It activated to full battle readiness and engaged the UN forces' heavy armor and artillery.

SEELE, in desperation, mobilized the Eva Series to destroy Unit 02. The Eva Series, nine units all operating on the dummy plug system, attacked Unit 02. Asuka was able to use her AT Field offensively, but the Eva Series was too tough for her to defeat alone. Shinji and Rei came to her aid, pitting two Evas against nine. The internal recorders of Units 01 and 02 captured this segment of conversation:

S: "Asuka, are you all right? How are you holding up?"

A: "As well as can be expected, you idiot! Do you have Wonder Girl in there with you?"

R: "Affirmative."

S: "Here they come again!"

Sounds of charging footfalls and crashing

Screeching and crunching sounds (presumably Evas being destroyed)

A: "Shinji! Behind you!"

S: "Got it! HeeeeYAHHHHHH!"

Explosion

R: "Ikari, look right."

A: "_I've_ got him!"

Two explosions

Crunching and splattering sounds

S: "Only one more! Let's go!"

Crunching noise (presumably the sound of an Eva's head being smashed)

End of recording

NERV dispatched its own strike force to eliminate SEELE. Using an N2 charge, the NERV strike team obliterated SEELE's headquarters.

Weeks passed. The team at NERV believed that their troubles were finally over. Weeks turned into months, and the public celebrated the end of the Angels. Shinji knew the truth, though. The truth was that the true war for Humanity was only just beginning.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

War journal entry: Shinji Ikari: September 23, 2016.

"The Great War has begun. We, that is, Kaworu and I, knew that these days were coming. But nobody listened when I told them what he had told me. They all believed that Kaworu was the last Angel.

"Now we, Humanity, are engaged in the fight for our very existence. It is a good thing that father ordered the salvaging of the Eva Series for parts to rebuild Unit 00; we need every Eva we can get. Dr. Akagi even managed to reprogram and reactivate one of the least badly damaged ones. Now, we have a fourth Eva.

"Asuka rarely leaves Unit 02. It's like she's developed a bond with it _beyond_ that of her role as pilot. I hear her talking to Unit 02 often. Sometimes I hear her call it 'momma'. It's very strange."

War journal entry: Asuka Langley Soryu: September 23, 2016.

"We're at war with the Angels again. Only, this time, I can't defeat them alone, because they aren't attacking one by one. They're coming in groups now; five or ten at a time. Even with momma's help, I need back-up. That idiot, Shinji, does OK, I guess, and so does Wonder Girl. I don't understand it, but whenever I see the two of them together, I get jealous of her, like I'd rather it was _me_ spending time close to im. Why would I want to spend _any_ time alone with that perverted idiot?"

War journal entry: Rei Ayanami: September 23, 2016.

"Unit 00 has been rebuilt using parts salvaged and recycled from the Eva Series. The new Unit 00 is white like the Eva Series, but it looks very much like the old Unit 00.

"Commander Ikari's son spends a lot of time around me. I don't fully understand it. I had always thought he had more in common with Pilot Soryu.

"According to the Commander, the four Evas are being deployed at 1600 hours to form a defensive perimeter around the entrance to the Geofront."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

War journal entry: Shinji Ikari: October 10, 2016.

"The fighting never ends! I feel like I'm fighting in my sleep, now. Yesterday, we defeated a group of 25 Angels. Unfortunately, we had to sacrifice Unit 05 to do it. The dummy plug was ordered to self-destruct.

"The resulting explosion neutralized 15 of the attacking Angels. Dr. Akagi says that these new Angels' AT Fields are much weaker than the old Angels. But what they lack in strength, they make up for in numbers. They just keep coming.

"I keep trying to tell father that the only way to stop them is to destroy the Angel that I saw down in Terminal Dogma. I'm positive that that's what they're after. Father won't listen to me; big surprise.

"Asuka is still talking to Unit 02, but now she's asking it questions. I hear my name mentioned a lot. She's starting to talk to me more, too. I like it. I think she's finally putting some of our past behind her."

War journal entry: Asuka Langley Soryu: October 10, 2016.

"I've asked momma what I should do about Shinji. I mean, he's always been so nice to me, even when I've been cruel to him. I think I like him.

"Misato's been given direct command over the Eva squad. We, the pilots, now launch and mobilize from a forward command center up in the ruins of Tokyo-3. We're now down one unit. Eva Unit 05, the dummy plug suit, self-destructed to destroy part of a large group of Angels.

"We all have to change in the same room when we put on our plug suits. I don't see the point of taking them off; I mean, we spend more time in them than _out_ of them. But when I look at Shinji's shadow on the screen between us while we're changing…I don't know."

War journal entry: Rei Ayanami: October 10, 2016.

"A victory, though it cost an Eva. Unit 05 self-destructed, destroying 15 enemy units. Dr. Akagi has observed that the new Angels possess weaker AT Fields than their predecessors. This could be to our advantage.

"I have seen pilot Soryu looking at Ikari in strange ways. Her eyes follow him closely, though they seem glazed as she stares at him. I believe that she desires him."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

War journal entry: Shinji Ikari: March 30, 2017.

"Father is dead. Everyone at NERV HQ is dead. A squad of at least 40, maybe 50 Angels invaded the Geofront. Rei, Asuka, and I engaged them. They fell one by one. Our weapons ran out of ammunition, and we were forced to engage the rest hand to hand. I thought I had defeated the last one, but it wasn't quite dead. It unleashed a final, terrible attack.

"The explosion was bigger than an N2 blast. The Evas' AT Fields protected us, but headquarters was obliterated. I'm glad Misato was at the forward command center; otherwise she'd be dead like everyone else. I should have made sure that the Angel was dead. It's my fault."

War journal entry: Asuka Langley Soryu: March 30, 2017.

"NERV HQ has been wiped out. There were no survivors. Misato is in charge of all operations now.

"We were taken by surprise when an army of about 50 Angels invaded the Geofront. Momma and I were the first ones to the front. We must have killed at least 20 of those fuck-heads. One of them got behind me and grabbed me with these laser coil things. They were starting to burn through momma's armor. The next thing I saw was the flash of a prog-knife and a splatter of blood.

"Shinji saved me! I felt so grateful that I could have kissed him. It was a strange feeling, no doubt about it, but I liked it. I think I'll thank him better tonight."

War journal entry: Rei Ayanami: March 30, 2017.

"Headquarters is gone. An Angel's final attack blew it up. Among the dead are Commander Ikari, Vice-commander Fuyutski, and Dr. Akagi. The Magi computers are gone, so are all tools and spare parts to repair the Evas. We may not survive the war.

"Pilot Soryu has confided in me that she intends to make sexual advances toward Ikari. I'm not sure if I approve, but I will keep her confidence.

"Major Katsuragi is director of operations, and she has ordered the destruction of Terminal Dogma and its contents. She says that if their target is gone, the Angels will have no reason to continue their campaign against Humanity; a logical conclusion."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

War journal entry: Shinji Ikari: March 31, 2017.

"Last night, Asuka and I…well, we did it. At first, she made all the moves. She stepped up and kissed me. Then, she said, 'If we die tomorrow, Shinji, I want you to know how I _really_ feel about you.' After that, she took of her shirt, followed by her bra. Then, she took my hands and held them against her boobs.

"'Like it?' she asked, encouraging me to squeeze them.

"What could I say? I nodded. She undid her shorts and let them fall to the floor. She wasn't wearing panties, and her pussy was shaved. It didn't occur to me until after we did it that she may have planned it.

"'Take your clothes, Shinji,' Asuka said.

"I hastened to obey; scrambling out of my clothes, until I was standing naked in front of her. My dick was hardening rapidly. Asuka looked down at it and said, 'My, my, Shinji. That's a _big_ one.'

"Then, I couldn't believe it; she got down on her knees and wrapped her lips around my shaft. It felt so warm and good! She sucked and sucked, bringing me right to the brink. Then she stopped; it drove me crazy. I begged to her to keep going. She only smiled, shook her head, and stood up.

"' If you want more, Shinji, you'll have to _take_ it,' she said.

"I didn't really know what to do. Something deep inside me, at the most primal level, took over. Next thing I knew, I had pushed Asuka down onto the bed and was nibbling on her ear. I licked my way down to her nipples and flicked them both with my tongue. She writhed, moaned, and said my name.

"Still guided by the primal voice, I spread her thighs and ran my tongue up the inside of each one, stopping just before I reached the glistening slit that was her pussy.

"Now, it was her turn to beg. Asuka moaned loudly and pleaded with me to lick her. I obliged, sticking the tip of my tongue between her pussy lips, and running it up and down the entire length of her slit. She tasted sweet, yet tangy at the same time. She writhed and flopped, making cute little squealing noises. Suddenly, her hips bucked, and I felt a warm spray of juice running down my chin.

"I was overwhelmed by the need to screw her. It overrided every other sense of my being. It even erased my nervousness at the thought of intimate contact.

"I lined up the head of my aching erection with her soaked pussy lips and worked the head in. She felt so amazingly _tight_!

"'Oh, Shinji, yes,' Asuka whimpered, 'Give me that big cock!'

"I slid into her all the way, relishing the tight wetness. Asuka moaned and urged me on as I pumped in and out of her pussy. I felt her pussy spasming around my cock. The combination of sensations sent me over the edge. I groaned with release as I shot my semen deep into her womb.

"Afterwards, my nerves returned, and I was concerned about Asuka getting pregnant. She just smiled and told me she was on the pill. After she said this, she put her arms around my chest, and we fell asleep together."

War journal entry: Asuka Langley Soryu: March 31, 2017.

"Last night, I finally made my move on Shinji. He was so cute the way he stood there and gaped.

"Earlier in the evening, I had shaved my pussy, because I had heard that guys are turned on by that sort of thing. Then, I put on my shortest pair of cut-off shorts. I didn't wear any panties; I wanted to surprise Shinji. I didn't have any condoms for him to wear, but I wasn't worried. I've been on the pill for almost a year now; it eases my periods.

"Like I said before, Shinji was so cute the way he stood there and gaped after I kissed him. I mustered my courage and told him how I felt. Next, I threw caution to the wind, and took off my shirt and bra. Shinji's jaw dropped to the floor. When I saw him shaking in his socks with a combination of shock and obvious arousal, I absolutely _had_ to have him!

"I grabbed his hands and brought them up to my breasts. I asked him if he like it. My pussy got very wet as he squeezed and groped my boobs. I undid my shorts and let them slide down over my hips to the floor. Next, I told Shinji to take off his clothes. I've never _seen_ anybody strip so fast!

"I was shocked when his boxers hit the floor. He was _huge_! I guess it's true what they say about shy guys having the biggest packages.

"After admiring how large he was, I just couldn't help myself; I dropped to my knees and took the head of that magnificent cock into my mouth. I drove my face forward, taking more of his hard shaft into my throat.

"I could tell from the way he was moaning and groaning that Shinji was enjoying what I was doing. I was glad, because it meant that I was doing it right, even though I'd never given head before.

"I listened to him groaning panting as I sucked him. I judged when to stop so that he didn't come.

"When I stopped, I knew he was hooked, because he _begged_ me to keep going. Instead, I stood up and smiled playfully. I told him that if he wanted more, he'd have to take it. What I was trying to do was get him to come out of his shell.

"He surprised me again when he pushed me down on his bed and climbed on top of me. He started by nibbling on my one earlobe. Then, he kissed his way down to my tits and sucked and licked my nipples. I don't know _how_ he was as good as he was, but _shist_ was he ever _good_!

"I practically jumped out of my skin when his tongue made contact with my pussy. I felt like a shock of electricity went up through my entire body. He darted his tongue in and out and all over my drenched pussy. My senses were going crazy! He was _amazing_! In what felt like no time at all, I felt a huge orgasm crashing over me. I bucked and thrust my pussy up against his mouth as I spasmed and came.

"'Asuka,' Shinji groaned, 'Say goodbye to your virginity.'

"That was all he said as he positioned the head of his cock up against the entrance to my pussy. Wet as I was, I _still_ wasn't sure whether I could take him or not.

"My question was answered when I felt the head part my pussy lips. I moaned and urged him onward. I just _had_ to have him all the way inside me. I felt him slide inch after thick inch of hard meat into me. He let it rest for a moment, and then began really giving it to me.

"Mein gott was it good! I started coming again, and then felt him tense up. He grunted loudly as I felt his warm, gooey come coat my insides.

"As we caught our breath, the old Shinji seemed to make a reappearance. He got all nervous and asked: 'A-Asuka, what if you get pregnant?'

"I just smiled and told him not to be worried, because I was on the pill. This seemed to calm him down. I smiled again and put my arms around his chest. He put an arm around me, and we fell asleep."

War journal entry: Rei Ayanami: March 31, 2017.

"Tomorrow, we are going to Terminal Dogma to dispose of the Angel. I look forward to ending this conflict. I find war to be detestable."

A.N. Well, guys, I'm sorry it's not finished yet. But it will be as soon as I write the rest of it. Please review and submit!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

War journal entry: Shinji Ikari: April 4, 2017.

"We were supposed to go to Terminal Dogma three days ago, but the Angels had other plans. A large squad of Angels came crashing through old Tokyo-3, wiping out everything in their path. The UN forces continued to put up a brave fight, but they just didn't have what it took to combat Angels; like they ever did.

"Asuka, Rei, and I mobilized in our Evas. Little did we know that this would be one of the last times we would be able to activate them.

"The battle lasted for over 12 hours. The Evas all took a serious pounding, but we managed to once again repel the Angel horde.

"When we got back to base, Misato gave us some bad news. Without replacement parts or circuitry, the Evas wouldn't survive another battle like the one we were just in. In fact, they'd barely be able to reactivate.

"'We have no choice, then,' Rei said, 'we have to end it now.'

"'Agreed,' Misato said, 'Reactivate the Evas for one final mission. Objective: destroy the Second Angel and all of the evidence of its existence in Terminal Dogma.

"It was with an amount of sorrow that we activated the Evas for the last time. Secretly, I knew my mother's spirit inhabited Unit 01, but I never really knew her, so I won't really miss her. I _will_ sort of miss the feeling of accomplishment I get when I pilot the Eva, but that will pass in time.

"We returned to the crater that used to be NERV and found a way down into Central Dogma. We pried open the final door and found ourselves looking at Lilith, the Second Angel.

"'Place N2 charges,' Rei said, 'then set the Evas to self-destruct and evacuate.'

"'What about you, Rei?' I asked.

"'I will stay and make sure the explosives detonate,' Rei replied quietly.

"'Listen up, Wonder Girl,' Asuka barked, 'There was a time when I would have _wanted_ you to blow yourself to hell. But not now. Right now, we need you. Shinji cares for you, and I have to say that I do, too. You're my friend. And if you try to stay behind, I swear I'll _drag_ you ass out of here!'

"Rei was silent. I'll admit that I was shocked beyond belief. I'd always thought that Asuka _hated_ Rei.

"We finished placing all of the N2 charges and prepared to set the self-destruct timers on the Evas. Right as we pushed the buttons to start the timers, time itself seemed to freeze. I heard a voice inside my head. I didn't _hear_ it; so much as I _felt_ it. It felt very strange.

"'_Why do you fight us?_' the voice asked, '_Why are we at war?'_

"I stopped and thought. Rei and Asuka seemed to have stopped, too. I heard their voices in my head as well as the strange one.

"'_Who are you?_' I asked, '_Are you an Angel?_'

"'_Of course it's an Angel, idiot,_' Asuka's voice said.

"'_It is Lilith,_' Rei's voice said.

"'_Yes. I am the being you Humans call Lilith. I have long watched your kind brutalize my children. I understand why you fight so passionately; a species _always_ fights passionately for its survival. Know this: so long as I am held here, my children will continue to attack in increasing numbers, until they rejoin me.'_

"'_Why don't we just set her free, then?_' I suggested.

"' _Are—you—CRAZY?!'_ was Asuka's response, '_It's an _Angel!_ It's the _enemy!'

"'_You think as Commander Ikari once thought,'_ Rei said, '_Shinji chooses a peaceful and merciful solution to the conflict.'_

"'_Merciful?!'_ Asuka cried, enraged, '_Why do you want to show the Angels _mercy_?! They've pretty much wiped out the entire city! They destroyed NERV HQ! Because of _them,_ my momma's going to leave me again!_'

"I could hear Asuka's mental sobbing. It broke my heart to hear her in such pain.

"'_Yes, Asuka,'_ I said, '_the Angels have, indeed, taken a lot from us. But we've kept something from them as well; their mother. And as you well know, Asuka, the bond between a child and its mother is something which should _never_ be broken.'_

"'_Lilith,' _I continued, '_I'm offering you peace and freedom on one condition: that neither you, nor any of your kind _ever_ return to this world. Refuse this condition, and you will be destroyed.'_

"'_Young Human,_' Lilith's voice replied, '_you are wiser than you know. I accept your condition. My kind shall never again come to this planet.'_

"I unsheathed Unit 01's prog knife and cut the tops off of the nails that pinned Lilith's hands to the red cross. Lilith pulled herself off of the nails, and the wounds closed instantly.

"'_I thank you for my freedom, children,'_ Lilith said, '_I shall leave you with one final, parting gift.'_

"I was bathed in light. It was so warm, and…I don't know…soothing, I guess. It was like nothing I had ever felt before. It felt like ecstasy mixed with sorrow, awareness, life, death, understanding, and _acceptance_. For the first time in my life, I accepted myself as I was. I didn't feel insecure about anything anymore, either. I finally felt confident, proud, and self-reliant. Lilith, using her power, had balanced my psyche.

"The light then became blindingly bright. When I opened my eyes, I was standing in the operations tent of the command center. Lilith had brought the three of us back out of Terminal Dogma. I raced outside and looked into the now dark sky. Apparently, while we were talking to Lilith, time had passed normally. It was now 2320 hours on April 3, 2017.

"I looked up and saw a group of stars shining more brightly than I remembered. It was the Pleiades, the Seven Sisters. I guess that they were like Lilith's seven eyes, and now that she was back among them in the heavens, they shone with life again.

"Suddenly, I felt the quake. I looked and saw a massive pillar of flame erupt from the crater that used to be NERV. The Evas had finally self-destructed, detonating the N2 mines and wiping the last traces of NERV, the Angels, and the Evas from existence. I was strangely glad to know that the Evas were gone for good, because it meant that I was finally free to start my own life.

"Rei and Asuka stood on either side of me. I put an arm around each of their shoulders. Rei smiled, and Asuka leaned her head into my shoulder.

"'I guess this means the war is finally over,' I said.

"'I guess so,' Asuka said.

"'It is,' Rei said, 'Now we can start rebuilding the world and living our lives.'

"It seemed that Rei had been given a personality. Or rather, she was given _back_ the personality that my father and Dr. Akagi _stole_ from her.

"This is my final entry in the war journals, as the Great War is over. Long live Humanity."

War journal entry: Asuka Langley Soryu: April 4, 2017.

"My momma's gone again now. Three days ago, the three of us were dispatched to head to Terminal Dogma. We were supposed to demolish it and erase the Angels' suspected target.

"Instead, we found ourselves battling the largest group of Angels we've ever faced. All of the Evas sustained massive damage. Unit 01 lost most of its armor plating due to an acid spray fro one of the Angels. Unit 00 lost its left hand; it was sliced off by one of the Angels. Momma was stabbed in the head. I felt like _I_ had been stabbed in the eye.

"Shinji, despite Unit 01's injured condition came to my aid, killing the Angel and covering me for the rest of the battle.

"Despite the damage, and despite the fact that the battle lasted for over 12 hours, we did pretty good. We totally kicked those Angels' asses! We returned to base, only to find out that we were finally out of spare parts for the Evas, and that they probably wouldn't survive another battle. Even worse, Misato wasn't sure if we'd even be able to activate them again!

"Naturally, Wonder G—Rei, was the first one to suggest a course of action. She really is very bright, though I've never said this to her. I've been really horrible toward her; cold. Worse, even, than I had been toward Shinji, before I realized that I loved him.

"Anyway, Rei said that our only chance was to destroy Terminal Dogma once and for all. We all agreed that this was the only way, so we returned to our Evas.

"As soon as momma restarted, I could feel that something was different. I mean, it was almost as if we could both sense that this would be the last time we were ever going to be together. I wanted to cry, but I stopped myself and bottled it up again, like I always did. I wouldn't permit myself to feel anything. I had always thought that feelings, when faced with a job to be done, were a hindrance and a weakness.

"We mobilized to Terminal Dogma. When we got there, we placed N2 mines and Rei said for us to set the Evas' self-destructs and evacuate. All of us had seen the destructive force of an Eva self-destruct when Unit 05 blew itself up. That force, combined with a set of N2 mines, would easily wipe out anything.

"What Shinji and I _didn't_ figure on was Rei deciding to stay behind in her Eva and self-destruct with it. She said that it was to make sure that the explosives detonated.

"Shinji was devastated, I could tell, but so was I. Over the course of the War, we had all become very close friends. I swore that if Rei tried to stay behind and die, I was going to _drag_ her out of there.

"She was shocked that I cared. Like I said, up until that point, even though we were all friends, I still treated Rei a little harshly because she was so…I don't know…doll-like.

"We pulled the switches to start the self-destructs, and were about to start the timers when everything froze. Time itself seemed to stand still. Then, I heard this beautiful, yet terrifying voice in my head, demanding to know why we were fighting.

"It was actually the Angel. Not only could I hear _its_ thoughts, but also Shinji's and Rei's as well. I heard Rei call the Angel 'Lilith'.

"Lilith explained that as long as she was bound here on Earth, the Angels would continue to come, in greater numbers, until they reunited with her.

"Shinji suggested that we set her free. Immediately, my rage toward the Angels boiled over. Rei defended him, saying that he had found a peaceful and merciful solution.

"Now, my rage mixed with grief. I couldn't understand why Shinji wanted to show mercy to a being whose race had caused us so much suffering. I broke down completely, and the tears I had been fighting back poured out uncontrollably.

"Shinji gently explained that the Angels only wanted their mother back and would do anything to get her back. This I understood, because I felt that way every day of my life. He agreed to set Lilith free, on the condition that the Angels never return to Earth. She agreed, and Shinji cut her loose.

"Lilith glided past us and I heard her voice say: '_I thank you for my freedom, children. I will leave you with one final, parting gift._'

"All of a sudden, light brighter than any sun was all around me. It penetrated into every dark corner, every black spot in my soul. It was terrifying at first, seeing all of my faults brought to the front, but then I started to accept them. I realized that my momma might leave me, physically, but she'd only be really gone when I forgot her.

"I also realized just how strong my love for Shinji really was. Little did I know it, but I had unconsciously been looking for someone like him my whole life.

"The light got even brighter, and I had to close my eyes against it. When I opened them again, the three of us were standing in the operations center with Misato and all of the rest of the techs. Shinji ran outside, leaving Misato and the rest of us wondering how we got back, because we all just sort of appeared in the tent. Rei turned to Misato and began to explain hastily. She caught my eye and jerked her head for me to follow Shinji.

"I walked outside and stood next to Shinji. He was staring at the stars. We stood there for maybe another 30 seconds, when I saw Rei come out of the tent. She was smiling gently, and her smile got a little warmer when she saw Shinji and I together.

"Rei came up and stood on Shinji's other side. He was so lost in the sky that he didn't hear either of us approach.

"Suddenly, the ground quaked and rumbled. A massive pillar of flame erupted from the NERV crater. I knew that everything was gone for good, now. No more NERV, no more Evas, no more Angels, and no more _war_.

"Shinji put his arms around our shoulders. I smiled and leaned my head onto his shoulder. Rei stood there and smiled.

"'I guess this means the war is finally over,' he said.

"'I guess so,' I said, at a loss for words.

"'It is,' Rei said, and turned to us, 'Now we can start rebuilding the world and our lives.'

"I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Timid little Rei, ever the fatalist, was speaking about the future with confidence and, for the first time, _hope_. I guess Lilith gave her a personality.

"The Great War is finally over. Humanity won our right to survive, but at a terrible cost. We won't ever forget their sacrifices. Don't ever forget ours."

War journal entry: Rei Ayanami: April 4, 2017.

"Three days ago, we deployed with the intent to destroy Terminal Dogma.

"Unfortunately, a large army of Angels attacked before we reached our objective. We were forced to delay our objective and attempt to repel them instead.

"All of the Eva Units sustained very serious damage. At the time, I merely thought it a casualty of war, but I hate war.

"As I look back on those long months of conflict, I regret all of the losses of life. I also regret all of the suffering that everyone has had to endure, though I know that there was no fault on my part.

"As I said, all of the Evas suffered critical damage during that final assault, but we succeeded in defeating the Angels' assault force.

"When we returned to the operations tent of the command center, Commander Katsuragi gave us all grave news. We no longer had any parts with which to repair the Evas. And without repairs, the Evas would not survive another battle. Worse than that, since the internal circuitry on all of the Evas was damaged to some extent, we weren't sure whether or not the Evas would even be able to reactivate.

"That news shocked me. I am very attached to Unit 00; it is a part of me. However, I knew that we would have to end the war, regardless of the sacrifices.

"'We have no choice, then,' I said, 'we have to end it now.'

"'Agreed,' said the Commander. She gave the order to reactivate the Evas for a final mission to Terminal Dogma. Commander Katsuragi is a good leader. She is strong, courageous, but not cold, like Commander Ikari always was. Commander Katsuragi, having worked with us, the pilots, from our first days at NERV, understood how we thought on the battlefield. She therefore planned our strategies accordingly during the war.

"Once we reached Terminal Dogma, we each placed two N2 mines. I realized that the only successful way to detonate the mines all at once was to self-destruct an Eva. I told Shinji and Asuka to prepare their Evas and evacuate. I had decided to stay and manually detonate my Eva. I knew that I would die, but it would, beyond all doubt, be the only way to make absolutely sure that the explosives detonated properly. I also could not envision life without an Eva. The Eva was the only thing that I could ever really be certain of. It was a comfort to me. It was my purpose; my reason for living.

"Shinji expressed caring towards me. I knew he would. He is very much like his father, except that Shinji treats me like a person, not a doll or a tool. I very much appreciate him for that.

"What surprised me was that Asuka also expressed caring towards me, albeit in a slightly less eloquent manner. I had planned to die cleanly, and let the two of them have a life with each other. They would not hear of me killing myself.

"Still, it had to be finished. We set our Evas' destruct timers for 10 minutes and prepared to eject.

"As we reached for the switches to start the timers, everything froze. Time, light, and even our bodily functions all froze.

"There was a voice inside my head. It was beautiful, yet terrifying at the same time. Also, it seemed to be as familiar to me as my own reflection.

"The voice demanded to know why we were at war. The only logical source of the voice was Lilith. We three pilots _knew_ why we were at war. Shinji was the only one who spoke most freely with Lilith, becoming the spokesman for the Human race.

"But while Shinji debated with Lilith, I was having a completely different conversation with her.

"'_You and I are essentially the same,'_ Lilith said, '_yet you side with the Humans. Why?'_

"'_Because I am a Human,'_ I replied, '_I am bonded to them. They are my friends.'_

"'_But you share my blood,'_ Lilith said, '_My very _soul _is a part of you. Your machine also shares part of you and me. You should side with us, little one. You could live forever.'_

"'_Forever without Ikari or Soryu,'_ I said, '_I could not exist without them. I…_'

"Here, I faltered, for words failed me. I knew how I felt, but I could not describe it to another. Initially, the thought of Shinji and Asuka being together while I was alone did not bother me, because I had _always_ been alone. I was used to it.

"But as Lilith subliminally coaxed me to probe deeper into my feelings, I realized that the thought of being alone scared me. I wanted to be with Ikari, like Asuka was; to have someone to care about, and to be cared about by. I wanted Shinji's love, and his touch.

"'_I love them,'_ I said to Lilith, finishing my sentence, '_and that is the difference between us: I care about the Human race. That is why you must accept Ikari's offer of freedom. I cannot bear to think of any more deaths because of who we are; the fact that we are beings that cannot coexist on the same plane.'_

"'_You are correct, sister,'_ Lilith said, '_I must leave this place. But when I leave, I shall give each of you a gift. The boy shall receive a balance in his psyche. All of his insecurities will be gone. The girl shall be able to reconcile past hurts and be able to let down the barriers of her mind, though she has already started that process._

"'_You, Rei Ayanami, will receive a Human sense of purpose. You shall receive a true soul, not just a pale copy of one. In addition, you will also have memories of a life given to you; a past._'

"'_But it will be a false past,'_ I protested, '_a lie.'_

"'_You will at least _have_ a past,'_ Lilith said, '_You will remember your fictional parents' names. Everything will feel real.'_

"A past. I could hardly believe it. I was in shock. I barely heard Lilith agree to leave. I hardly noticed the flash of Shinji's prog-knife as he cut her free.

"The next thing I noticed was Lilith gliding past us saying:

"'_I thank you, children, for my freedom. I shall leave you with one final, parting gift.'_

"Then, we were all bathed in light so bright that it didn't seem real. The light seemed to soak into my every pore.

"Suddenly, my mind was filled with images. My first day of school, my first report card, and my first bicycle ride. There were so many wonderful images, that I forgot that they were false. I felt like an amnesiac who had had their memory recovered.

"I saw my first childhood crush; I had chased him on the playground and knocked him down. Next I saw a flash of light, heard a smashing of breaking glass, then the next thing I saw was a doctor telling me that my mom and dad died in the car crash.

"Then I saw Commander Ikari, who said that he was adopting me. My entire past had been scripted to fit my present, down to the last detail.

"The light became blinding. I was forced to shield my eyes. I heard Lilith's voice again.

"'_Little sister,'_ she said, '_I sense that you still wish the dungeon destroyed. I will make your machines destroy themselves as you were about to do.'_

"'_Thank you, Lilith,'_ I said.

"When I opened my eyes, we were all standing in the operations tent at the command center.

"Shinji turned and dashed out of the tent. Commander Katsuragi looked bewildered and made to follow him.

"I headed her off and began to explain briefly, leaving out most of the details of our experience. I did this so that she would not follow Shinji; he needed time to adjust to his new psychology. I caught Asuka's eye and motioned for her to follow him. She walked out of the tent.

"After a brief explanation about what happened and how we got back, I left the tent and rejoined Shinji and Asuka.

"Shinji's eyes were locked on the stars. Asuka's eyes were fixed on Shinji. I caught Asuka's eye again and smiled, and Asuka smiled back. Shinji was still oblivious to our presence.

"I barely finished thinking that the timers should be up, when the ground beneath our feet gave an almighty lurch, a huge shuddering rumble, and a massive quake. An enormous, yet silent pillar of flame erupted from the crater that once held NERV central. The final remnants of the Angels' presence on Earth, the Evas, were finally washed away in a tide of fire.

"'I guess this means that it's over,' Shinji said. I heard a note of gratefulness in his speech. I felt it also. He had put his arms around Asuka and me. We all resumed staring at the stars.

"'I guess so,' Asuka said.

"'It is,' I said, 'Now we can start rebuilding our world and our lives.'

"For the first time in my life, I was happy; truly and joyfully happy. I had two wonderful friends, whom I dearly love, we had finally ended the destructive war with the Angels that had begun those 17 long years ago in Antarctica, and I felt hopeful about our future as a species.

"I am Rei Ayanami. I am a Human girl, who shares an Angel's soul. Once, I was the pilot of Evangelion Unit 00, but no more. Now, I am merely the best friend of Shinji Ikari and Asuka Langley Soryu.

"The Great War is over. Mankind was the victor, but at a terrible cost. So many friends and family are gone; gone, but never forgotten. We will never forget their sacrifices for the continuation of our kind. Don't _you_, who read these journals, ever forget their sacrifice, either. Goodbye."


	7. Chapter 7

Epilogue

Shinji, Rei, and Asuka all moved in together after the war. They had all become so close during the fighting that they could think of nothing else they would prefer.

Between big, fat, government "thank you" payments, and soldier's pensions for each of them, the trio of friends was set for life and could live very comfortably, indeed.

The plug suits, to which they had grown so accustomed to wearing, were kept until the one-year anniversary of the end of the war.

At a large ceremony and pyre, the former pilots all carefully folded their plug suits and placed them on a large stack of wood, along with several straw effigies of Dr. Akagi, Commander Ikari, vice-Commander Fuyutski, and all of the good friends who had been lost at NERV.

The three friends each took a torch and threw it onto the pyre. The wood, having been doused in an accelerant, caught fire instantly, and quickly grew and consumed the monument.

Everyone said their final goodbyes to the past in their own way. Many cried, some stood somberly and stolidly silent, others laughed quietly, remembering good times spent with the friends now gone. But everyone went away from that ceremony with a bright outlook on the future.

That just goes to show: No matter bleak the situation, no matter how grim the odds; it is always darkest just before dawn. So keep looking for that sunrise; keep you chin up, and hold your head high. Embrace the future with both arms. Never be afraid, for you are never truly alone.

A.N. Well, faithful readers, that's the end of this one. Sorry it took so long, but writing the end of a story is never easy. Please review and submit! I welcome the feedback.


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